[ft-l] Forest Service Draft Accessibility Guidelines

The Forest Service has posted copies of their draft
accessibility guidelines on the web at
http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/accessibility/ for
review and public comment.
There are two documents.
The Forest Service Trails Accessibilty Guidelines (FSTAG)
covers pedestrian trails and bridges on those trails.
The Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility
Guidelines (FSORAG) covers developed areas and structures.
Structures include trailhead parking areas, kiosks,
latrines, shelters, benches, picnic tables, campground sites
and access routes within developed areas such as
campgrounds.
For each document there is a Q&A that I strongly recommend
you read before delving into the actual Guidelines.
If you would like to comment on these draft documents,
please read them very carefully first so that you thoroughly
understand them. A link within the documents will allow you
to send in your comments via email.
David Rohe and I attended a 2-day conference this past week
concerning these documents and find that they are a very
reasonable approach to the determination of accessibility
issues on the Florida Trail. While these guidelines will
have force of law only within the boundaries of National
Forests many other federal, state and local agencies are
studying these drafts and we may see many other agencies
adopting similar guidelines.
If you have any questions you may contact me personally or
via this list.
Deb Blick
Trail Inventory Coordinator
Florida Trail Association
DBlick@cfl.rr.com